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#GCP-HARP-1004
TM
College of Magics TM
HARP
The College of Mages is now magic, including natural
accepting qualified students magic, alchemy, and
interested in learning the enchantment.
TM
Fantasy College of Magics
art and craft of Magic. If College of Magics also
you have demonstrated an includes rules for creating
aptitude for Magic, then and designing new spells;
we urge you to enroll today. new HARP spells, and
Novices are welcome. a primer on temporary
College of Magics expands and permanent magic
the depth and breadth of item design. And of course
HARP magic. Among the new professions: The
topics that the book covers Magician, the Elementalist,
are: What is magic and how the Vivimancer, the
does it work? This product Thaumaturge, and the
introduces new types of Necromancer.
GCP
Guild Companion
Publications Ltd
#GCP-HARP-1004 #GCP-HARP-1004
College of
Magics
Credits
Author: Nicholas H.M. Caldwell; Original Editors: Heike A. Kubasch, Tim Dugger;
HARP College of Magics Redesign Leader: Nicholas Original Special Contributions: Heike A. Kubasch (for the
HM Caldwell; initial design concepts), Tim Dugger (for lots of fiddly bits);
HARP College of Magics Redesign Team: John Duffield, Cover Art: Jim Nelson;
Thom Jones, Sam Orton, Marc Rosen;
Original Interior Art: Toren Atkinson, Peter Bergting,
Special Contributions to HARP College of Magics: All of David Bezzina, Joel Biske, John Dollar, Mike Jackson, Jeff
the fans who have played and/or GMed HARP since its first Laubenstein, Pat Ann Lewis, Larry MacDougall, Jennifer
publication and have participated in discussions on the ICE Myer, Colin Throm; Keirston Vande Kraats;
forums, Guild Companion forums, Silent Tower mailing lists
Original Art Direction: Jeff Laubenstein;
and elsewhere on the Internet and at conventions.
Original Pagemaking: Sherry Robinson;
HARP College of Magics New Interior Art: Maria Duffield,
Raymond Gaustadnes, Rick Hansen, Dan ODonnell; Original Proofreading: THE Howard Huggins, Lori Dugger,
Bruce Neidlinger;
HARP College of Magics Interior Design: Craig John;
Original Playtesters: Jonathan Dale, Matt Fitzgerald,
HARP College of Magics Page Layout: Terry K. Amthor;
Marian Mnch, Dave Prince, Aaron Smalley, Stephen
HARP College of Magics Independent Proofreaders: Mark Wilcoxon, David Demetrios Bate, Quinton Etain Carroll,
D Carlson, Dominique Zut Michaud, Dr Damian Millar Matt Uther Fitzgerald, Keith Markus Grainge, Dave
(docem); Anna Prince, and Stephen Leon Watts.
Original HARP Design: Tim Dugger & Heike A. Kubasch;
HARP College of Magics Copyright 2004, 2013 Aurigas Aldebaron LLC. Produced, published and distributed by Guild
Companion Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. Purchasers of the pdf version of this product are entitled to print one copy
from the pdf for personal use. Print editions are also produced through OneBookShelf. All other reproduction, re-selling,
and redistribution of this work are strictly and expressly forbidden without written permission from Guild Companion
Publications Ltd.
Iron Crown Enterprises, I.C.E., ICE, HARP, HARP SF and HARP Fantasy and all products related thereto, are all trademark
and copyright properties of Aurigas Aldebaron LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 USA. All rights reserved. Material
derived from HARP Fantasy and associated products is used in this product under license from Aurigas Aldebaron.
Guild Companion Publications Ltd is registered in England and Wales under No 7094505. Registered office: 77 Speedwell
Close, Cambridge CB1 9YS. Director: Nicholas HM Caldwell
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 4 5 The Study of Magic 26
Learning Magic 27
2 Magical Theory & Practice 6 Grimoires and Libraries 29
What Is Magic? 7 Researching Magic 30
The Premises of Magic 7 New Magic 31
Magic is Energy 7
Magic and the Planes 7
6 New Skills & Talents 43
Magic and the Elements 8 The Skills of Magic 44
The Web of Mana 8 The Talents of Magic 45
The Unpredictability of Magic 8 Blood Magic 48
Replenishment of Mana 8
The Limits of Magic 9 7 Natural Magic 50
Magic, Skill, Knowledge and Craft 9 Natural Magic: An Occult Science 51
Magic and Belief 9 Alchemy 51
The Practice of Magic 9 Charmcraft 54
Using Magic versus Spell Casting 9 The Costs of Alchemy and Charmcraft 55
How Spell Casting Works 10 Esoteric Substances and Occult Properties 56
Spell Casting and Armor 11
Sigils, Glyphs, Runes, Seals and Grimoires 12 8 Rituals & Runes 58
3 Types of Magic 13 Ritual Magic 59
Ritual Research 59
Blood Magic 14 Rune Magic 64
Natural Magic 14
Alchemy 14 9 Spell Magic 69
Charmcraft 14
Ritual Magic 14 Low Magic 70
Rune Magic 14 Middle Magic 75
Spell Magic 14 High Magic 101
High Magic 14 10 Magical Enchantment 105
Low Magic 15
Middle Magic 15 Types of Magical Items 106
Great Circle of Elementalism 15 The Process of Temporary
Great Circle of Magery 15 Enchantment 107
Great Circle of Necromancy 15 Permanent Item Enchantment 108
Great Circle of Thaumaturgy 15 Item Creation Examples 111
Great Circle of Vivamancy 15 The Cost of Magical Items 113
Spheres of the Clerics 15 Exotic Magical Powers 113
Sphere of the Harper 15 Cursed Items 114
Sphere of the Ranger 15
Sphere of the Warrior Mage 15 11 Magic in the Setting 117
Universal Sphere 15 Which Types of Magic? 118
Other Types of Magic 15 Magic and Society 118
Magic as Technology 120
4 The Practitioners of Magic 16 Magic versus Technology 121
Professions 17 Adventure and Campaign Seeds 122
Training Packages 19
Mana Sources 22 12 Index 123
Spell Focus Styles 23
1 Introduction
Magic is real.
In mortal children flow the blood of angels, demons, dragons,
elementals and the folk of Faerie, granting them a legacy of innate
magic to use for good or ill. In the uncharted wildernesses, warrior-
mages wield enruned blades against human and monstrous foes
alike. In isolated settlements, witches stir cauldrons of mystic herbs
and fashion charms to ward off the evil eye. In prosperous towns,
alchemists brew potions for wealthy patrons. In secret libraries,
sages study the forgotten lore of arcane rituals. In sunlit temples,
sacred groves, and profane sanctuaries, the clerics of a dozen
pantheons channel their belief into the making of miracles. And
everywhere, the magicians draw upon the mana to shape cantrips
and potent spells, bending reality to their will.
Magic is real.
Editors Note
This is an enhanced version of the original College of Magics,
which incorporates feedback from years of actual play. For
aficionados of the game, the changes between the original
2004 edition and this version are as follows:
The Necromancers Favored categories were rebalanced
Minor modifications to the Song, Music and Trance cast-
ing styles
Significant revisions to the spell creation system, namely
addition of new Aspects and deletion of some duplicate
Aspects, costs of Attributes now varies according to the
spell type (Elemental, Attack or Utility), simpler and
cheaper costing system for spells with multiple effects, PP
costs for scaling options also now varies according to the
spell type making Utility spells more effective for fewer PP,
and some scaling options have been recosted
The Development Point costs of the new talents were re-
balanced with the Potency talent and Inner Strength tal-
ents being rewritten
A rule for variable RR and OB bonus from potions, runes,
and circles has been added
Alchemy, Charmcraft and Ritual Magic were revised to
conform to the revised spell creation system
The monetary costs for making Alchemy and Charmcraft
items were rebalanced
All spells were revised to conform to the revised spell crea-
tion system
The set of Clean, Dry and Repair cantrips have been re-
vised with some deleted and new cantrips added
The Magician
The Magician is a consummate generalist, who studies all
branches of arcane lore, without committing himself to
any particular area. As adepts of the Circle of Magery, their
potential breadth of knowledge is unsurpassed with mas-
ter Magicians literally having a spell for every occasion.
Magicians are frequently very curious and will seek opportu-
nities to acquire both knowledge and power. Archmages are
often former Magicians.
Favored Categories:
Artistic: 2 General: 4
Influence: 2 Mystical Arts: 10
Physical: 2
Key Stats: Reasoning, Insight.
Professional Abilities
Magicians may learn any spell from the Circle of Magery. All
Magicians have the Sense Magic Talent.
Favored Categories:
General: 4 Influence: 2
Mystical Arts: 10 Physical: 2
Subterfuge: 2
Key Stats: Reasoning, Insight, Self Discipline, Agility.
Professional Abilities
Necromancers may learn any spell from the Circle of
Necromancy. All Necromancers have the Sense Magic Talent
and a +10 bonus to all Attack spells.
The Thaumaturge
The Thaumaturge is the acknowledged expert in the direct
manipulation of magic and matter. Members of the Circle
of Thaumaturgy achieve mastery in such arts as teleporta-
tion and transmutation. Thaumaturges are, however, justly
famed as the creators of permanent magical items and the
molders of mana into physical form as objects and creatures.
Their interests in item creation and mana shaping leads many
Thaumaturges to study the crafts of Natural Magic and the
lore of High Magic.
Favored Categories:
General: 6 Influence: 2
Mystical Arts: 10 Physical: 2
Key Stats: Reasoning, Insight.
Professional Abilities:
Vivamancers may learn any spell from the Circle of
Vivamancy. All Vivamancers have the Sense Magic Talent
and the Physick Talent.
Training Packages
The aim of the Training Packages (TPs) in this book is to
represent the different routes to magical expertise and
varied magical lifestyles. They are intended as templates
which should be tuned to the GMs setting. The Alchemist,
Charmweaver, Enchanter, Ritualist, Runemaster, and Wizard
TPs should only be available if their focused type of magic is
also available.
Amateur Mage
The Amateur Mage is a self-taught practitioner of magic, who
has made the occult arts into a hobby. Wealthy amateurs may
even have accumulated a small library of magical works in
the course of their avocation. Natural talent and determined
study has brought them significant success so far, but a little
learning is a dangerous thing
Skill Ranks
Arcane Lore (Spell Lore) 2
Cantrips 4
PP Development 2
Runes 2
Spell Casting (Universal Spells only) 3
Apprentice Mage
Guild Apprentices receive a broad education in the magical
arts in the cloistered halls of the guild house. Their training is
overseen by a number of experienced mages; their well-being
is sometimes placed in the pastoral care of senior students.
The insular guild lifestyle can be one of routine chores, os-
sified rules and regulations, and unsavory academic politics,
but it can also be the springboard for lasting friendships and
rivalries with fellow students.
Ritualist
The Ritualist has chosen to follow the path of Ritual Magic,
spending months ensconced in libraries and in consultation
with other spell users. This time in study and research has
also augmented the Ritualists facility with languages and im-
proved more mundane knowledge skills.
Skill Ranks
Arcane Lore (Spell Lore) 4
Linguistics (normally written) 4
Magical Ritual 5
Mundane Lore (Any) 3
PP Development 2
GMs and players should determine the nature of any rituals
learned by the character.
Required Talent: Tap Ambient Mana. As with Ambient mana users, those who tap Fixed Mana
must first draw the magical energy from their component
Granted into their body. This requires them to be in physical contact
Those casters, most frequently Clerics, who utilize Granted with their component(s), either by wearing, carrying, or hold-
Mana, obtain their reserves of magical energy as gifts or ing them. The process of internalizing the mana slows down
boons from spiritual beings of immense power. These are spell casting.
usually deities, demigods, or even demon princes. As Granted Fixed Mana users require one round for every 3 Power Points
Mana is directly channeled from the higher power to the de- (or portion thereof) used in the casting of a spell (the normal
vout spell caster, the density of mana in the environment has casting time is one round per 5 Power Points). Casters can re-
no bearing on the casters use of or recovery from magic. The duce the time taken to cast spells at a penalty of -10 for each
disadvantage is that the character must strive to adhere to the round that the casting time is reduced (to a minimum of
aims of the spiritual being, which may involve membership one round).
in a particular religion, formal religious observances, and so
forth. Should the spell caster fail seriously or repeatedly in Example: An ordinary Blur spell requires 4 Power Points (or
such striving, the higher power may withhold some or all of two rounds of casting) for Donna, a Fixed Mana user. The
the Granted Mana until absolution has been obtained. same Blur scaled to give a +15 bonus requires 12 Power Points,
and will take 4 rounds to cast by Donna, but only three
The GM and the player should cooperate to develop the reli- rounds for a caster employing Personal Mana. By taking a
gious framework for such characters. For official guidelines -30 penalty to the casting roll, Donna can cast her improved
on this subject, please see the upcoming HARP supplement Blur spell in a single round.
on religions.
Instantaneous spells are not affected by these rules.
Required Talent: Tap Granted Mana.
Users of Fixed Mana do have three advantages over other spell
Fixed casters. Firstly, because they do not store the mana within
their bodies, they can recover much more quickly from the
Those who employ Fixed Mana for spell casting purposes re-
stresses of magic. A Fixed Mana-using character regains
quire a supply of mana-bearing components from which to
one quarter of his power points for every one hour of com-
extract magical energy. These components may be plant frag-
plete rest. Secondly, such characters will not be registered by
ments, small pieces of animals corpses, natural minerals or
Detect Magic spells or Sense Magic Talents, unless they are
even gems.
in the process of casting a spell or have cast a durational spell
Organic components (i.e., plant and animal material) con- targeted on themselves. (Their spell components will register
tain a finite quantity of mana. Once all of this has been as containing dormant mana, however.) Thirdly, with a suf-
extracted, the component will crumble to dust. Organic ficient supply of components, Fixed Mana practitioners may
components also have a limited lifespan before the natural operate normally even in areas of low magical energy.
processes of decomposition render them unusable. However,
they are frequently inexpensive to obtain. Required Talent: Tap Fixed Mana.
Verbal
Casters espousing the Verbal focus style chant incantations
(often of seemingly arbitrary syllables) or mantras, through-
out the casting of a spell. Through long practice, these spell
users have trained themselves to associate certain words
with aspects of sigil formation. By combining the words into
phrases, the caster reaches the final effect.
If the caster is only able to whisper, a -20 modifier is applied
to spell casting. If the caster is unable to vocalize the neces-
sary words, then the Mage is deemed to be unable to use this
style (-50 to spellcasting).
Those wizards who have proven themselves to be wise teach- 90-92 Eight Three
ers may gain the lifelong friendship of their Protgs. Having 93-95 Nine Four
completed their apprenticeship period, some newly trained 96-97 Ten Four
Mages may remain in the service of their masters, teaching 98-99 Eleven Four
the new apprentices, performing other services such as ob- 00 Twelve Five
taining magical items and components for the mentor, and *For mentors of 10th level or higher, GMs may choose to add the mentors
increasing their own knowledge. level to this roll.
The following tables may be used to randomly generate men-
tors, apprentices, and their magical resources. GMs should feel Guilds
free to adjust the profession levels as appropriate for their set- A Magical Guild is an organization of like-minded spell users
ting. A mentors level only reflects his main profession he may who have formed an association for mutual benefit, which
have levels in additional professions. Journeymen are past ap- may be greater wealth, security, influence and/or power. Some
prentices of a mentor who may still be in the mentors service or of the most successful guilds can trace their history back to
be willing to aid their master. Roll first to determine the men- long-dead wizard-mentors whose pupils stayed together to
tors level, next for the number of apprentices, thirdly for the form schools to carry on their masters teaching traditions.
number of Journeymen spell users, and finally make a separate Other guilds were created by necessity rather than shared
roll for each Journeyman to determine their levels. GMs should ethos and their goals alter with changes in the organizations
leadership.
In some isolated areas and primitive cultures, magical prac- Researching a magical effect takes a variable amount of time
titioners gain their training through oral tradition and long proportionate to the potency of the effect:
practice under the tutelage of a more powerful spell user, who Magical Rituals require one day per PP required by
may be the village or tribes shaman, healer, or wise woman. the ritual;
The methods emphasize rote learning, the need to preserve
Spells require two weeks per PP required in the spells
the lore unchanged from generation to generation, and the
base form (but this period also covers research into any
maintenance of local customs and religious practices. The
potential scaling options);
teachers understanding of magic may be as limited as the
students, as the magical secrets become enshrouded in layer Charms, Potions, Runes, Battle Runes, and Circles
upon layer of superstition. Magical scholars and guild Mages require one week per PP required by the magical effect
should not scorn these hedge wizards their spells are no in its base form;
less potent for being learned by rote and sometimes buried in (Spell Circles use the base PP cost of the spell, Protection
their lore are lost pearls of magical wisdom. Circles have a base of 10 PP, and Containment Circles
Mages trained by the oral tradition may take the Traditionalist have a base of 15 PP);
Mage Training Package or one of the specialized Training Magical item abilities (i.e., those imbedded using the
Packages (see Chapter 4) to represent this. Imbue Exotic spell) require one week per DP or Ability
cost point.
Researching Magic At the end of the research period, an All-or-Nothing Medium
The pursuit of knowledge motivates many mages, some for maneuver must be made using one of the following skills:
the sheer joy of learning, others ensorcelled by the mantra that
knowledge is power. Throughout their lives, mages will increase Spell Lore for all new spells and magical item abilities;
their store of memorized sigils and some will even research new Magical Ritual for new magical rituals;
rituals, spells, and abilities.
Charmcraft for new charms;
Prolonged study is perhaps the most efficient way of devel-
Alchemy for new potions;
oping new magical effects. Its success relies on access to the
right kind of books. While it is possible to find a single tome Runes for all Runes and Circles;
that has (almost) all of the answer, it is usually necessary to
Battle Runes for all Battle Runes.
consult many tomes, each containing a fragment of the puz-
zle that must be painstakingly pieced together. Mages who Apply the following modifiers:
have remained friendly with their mentor or are in good
standing with a guild might have the potential advantage -40 if the researcher has no access to any books of magi-
of access to a magical library. Others will have to pay read- cal lore;
ing fees (of at least 10 gp per day) or hunt through their own -20 if the researcher has access to a limited number (<10)
book collection. of lore books on the general subject, but not on the par-
A problem shared can be a problem halved. If the researcher ticular area of interest;
is willing to talk about the proposed effect to other knowl- +0 if the researcher has access to a sizable library (10+
edgeable practitioners, they may be able to shed some light books) on the general subject, but not specifically on the
on the work. Guild members have an advantage over other area of interest;
spell users in that there is a greater chance that a fellow guild
Simply put, the Aspects identify what will be affected by a Merge 10 Life 15
spell and how it will be changed. Object Aspects encompass Move 5 Light 5
what is changed by a spell, and include physical objects, the Negate 15 Location 10
elements, creatures, states of mind, locations, and so forth. Open 5 Magic 10
Action Aspects represent the action to be performed by the Perceive 5 Malus 5
magic such actions include creating, negating, healing, Purify 5 Mass 10
harming, etc.
Reduce 15 Mind 5
Every spell has at least one Action Aspect as all spells must Repair 5 Path 5
perform an action. Likewise every spell has at least one Retrieve 20 Planar 15
Object Aspect as all spells must act on something, someone, Return 10 Plant 5
or somewhere. For example, an Elemental Bolt (Water) can be
Shrink 5 Resistance 10
considered to consist of the Create Aspect (Action) and the
Stop 5 Senses 5
Element (Water) Aspect (Object) because it creates and con-
centrates a quantity of elemental Water into an attack. Store 20 Shape 15
Teleport 20 Skill 10
Every Aspect has an associated cost (see Table 5.5), which
Trace 5 Sound 5
reflects the inherent difficulty of performing the manipu-
Transform (minor) 15 Spirit 15
lation. Add these costs to form a total cost for the spell
under construction. Transform (major) 30 Stat 5
Travel 10 Substance 5
All the Aspects are described below. Note that this is not
Youthen 5 Talent 10
an exhaustive set; GMs may find it necessary to add further
Time 15
Aspects if a spell concept does not fit any of the categories
below. Some of the Aspects are not used in any spells in this Undead 15
book, but they are included for the GMs use in creating new ef- Weather 40
fects and will be used in future HARP Fantasy supplements.
2 All spells must contain at least one Action Aspect and one
There are also a few rules to follow when determining the Object Aspect.
total cost of all the aspects. 3 For spells that have multiple effects that the caster may se-
1 A spell may only have a single active effect. The active ef- lect from, add 10 Aspect points for each additional effect to
fect is what the spell actually does when cast. It is made up get the total Aspect cost.
of at least one Action Aspect and one Object Aspect, and 4 For spells that have multiple effects, where the effect is
sometimes more than one of each. determined randomly, add 5 Aspect points for each addi-
tional effect to get the total Aspect cost.
Extra Force
This option increases the severity of a spell in harming its
target. Such spells are those that do damage but do not do
criticals, e.g., Arcane Bolt.
Each increase in severity: either + 0.5x Base or + 2PPs which-
ever is higher
Power Projection maneuvers take five minutes for every PP of This skill must be learned separately for each distinct Blood
a spell to be imbedded or sealed. For temporary enchantment Magic Talent that requires it.
of new items and the sealing of all permanent enchantments, (General varies/SD varies)
the creator must have at least one rank per PP to be imbedded
or sealed. For temporary enchantment of existing items, the The Talents of Magic
creator must have at least two ranks per PP to be imbedded.
All the normal rules relating to Talents presented in the HARP
Full details on the use of Power Projection can be found in core rulebook apply to the new talents given in this chap-
Chapter 10. ter. Some of the talents (i.e., the Tap Mana and Focus Style
(Mystical Arts In/SD All-or-nothing) Talents) have multiple listed costs. The zero cost is only ap-
plied if the talent is being taken as part of initial character
Runes creation (i.e., Tap Talents) or as part of a characters first
spell-using profession (i.e., Focus Style Talents).
Three new subskills of the Runes skill are introduced in
this book: The GM should examine the list of available talents closely to
determine if any talents are unsuitable for his campaign set-
Inscribe Trap Rune (-50): This is used by any character who ting. The advice in Chapter 11 may prove helpful in making
wishes to create a magical trap in the form of a rune, glyph, such decisions.
or seal.
Inscribe Professional Rune (-40): This is used by any char-
acter who wishes to create a non-magical representation of
originally purchased. For effects that have a duration, the Example: Brolys is a Monk, his player Rob has been
duration will be based upon the number of Power Points re- watching cartoons where the martial artists can throw bolts
quired by the effect. of energy. Rob thinks that this is neat and wants Brolys
to be able to do it as well. After discussing it with his GM,
Example: Brolys has the Blood Magic Ability of Stoneskin
Rob purchases the Active Blood Magic Talent for Brolys.
with an increased duration of 10 rounds per rank. This
He defines the Blood Magic Talent as an Elemental Bolt:
would normally cost 8 Power Points, so Brolys must pay 16
Air (which does an Electricity Critical). Rob wants it to do
Development Points to acquire the ability. He can use it three
a Medium critical, so the cost for the Talent is 18 DP. This is
times per day and the duration of each use is as if he had 8
comprised of 5 points for the base ability, plus 4 points for
ranks in the spell. Thus it will last 80 rounds per use.
scaling the attack size up two steps. This total (9 points)
A Blood Magic Talent may be purchased multiple times (at the is then doubled to determine the Development Point cost
same DP cost), but only one purchase may be made per level. of 18. Brolys can use this ability a maximum of 3 times per
Each purchase allows an additional use of the ability per day, up day. Brolys may purchase this talent again the next time he
to a maximum number of times per day equal to the Constitution goes up a level. However, this only gives him one more use
bonus of the character. per day. He may do this any number of times, so long as
his total number of uses per day does not exceed his total
XXNote: The GM may allow for other spells as Blood Magic Constitution stat bonus. Thus, if Brolys has a Constitution
Talents. However, this is not recommended as there is the stat bonus of +5, then the maximum number of uses of this
possibility of greatly imbalancing the game. ability is limited to 5 times per day. Rob happily records all
this information for Brolys and decides to call it a Chi Blast
to reflect that this abilitys background has been defined as a
secret technique taught to him by his mentor.
tables. It can be reasonably assumed that those prices reflect material of choice for magical weaponry. However the other
handsome profits being made by Alchemists and the mer- celestial substances are more useful for those casters who tap
chants as they charge all the traffic will bear. It can also be Fixed Mana.
assumed that the prices reflect a relative scarcity of avail-
Primal Essence is claimed to originate among the stars and
able potions.
is held by some magical practitioners to actually be mana in
For Charms, a reasonable sale price is between 5 and 25 gold material form. A single ounce of Primal Essence holds 200
pieces per PP in the charm. For permanent talismans (assum- PPs of tappable Fixed Mana; it also costs 1,000 gold pieces
ing that their owners or creators will sell them), 50 gold pieces per ounce.
per PP invested in their creation is appropriate.
Starstones are fiery, silver crystals occasionally found in the
hearts of meteorites. Each starstone holds 25 PPs of Fixed
Esoteric Substances and Mana per carat. A starstone can always regenerate its mana
Occult Properties they never wear out. Starstones cost 500 gold pieces per carat.
Esoteric Substances Thunderbolts are black meteoric stones, containing 100 PPs
of tappable Fixed Mana per pound, and normally costing 100
Of all inorganic substances, those found in meteorites and gold pieces per pound to buy.
other objects that fall from the heavens are the most magi-
cal. Starsteel, or meteoric iron, is justly renowned as the
Once the ritual is created and any necessary preparations have For every PP involved in the desired ritual, the magician must
been made, the caster can undertake the ritual itself. Unlike most spend at least one day in research.
types of magic, rituals can involve more than one mage. Each
participant assists in the creation of the sigil, but all must com-
plete their allotted tasks without error.
If the researcher succeeds in this maneuver, he has determined As Influences provide a practical benefit to performing ritu-
both the ritual sigil and how to perform the ritual. For each als, the GM is responsible for choosing which influences are
difficulty level above Medium that the result would meet, the appropriate to a specific ritual. Moreover, a GM need only re-
researcher also discovers one beneficial influence (see below) veal influences if the ritualist PC surpasses the Medium dif-
that will assist in the ritual. ficulty level in the ritual research maneuver. The maximum
number of Influences for any ritual is 5 (and these need only
Example: Demetrios final result on his Magical Ritual all be revealed if the ritualist meets the Absurd difficulty level.)
maneuver is 147. That easily makes a Medium difficulty level
All-or-nothing roll. It would also have sufficed for a Very The GM should choose Influences as suits the ritual, the in-
Hard maneuver (-40) as 147 40 is 107, but not for an ternal logic of the setting, and by quixotic whim. There is no
Extremely Hard (-60) maneuver as 147 -60 is 87, much less onus upon the GM to choose Influences for the convenience
than the required 100 for success. Demetrios learns two of the PCs as they are not compelled to employ the Influences.
appropriate Influences for his new ritual. GMs may, of course, choose easily available Influences if that
suits the particular needs of their campaign plot.
At this point, the researcher should learn the ritual by ex-
pending sufficient Development Points to increase his A sampler of Influences is provided below. While perusing the
Magical Ritual skill by one skill rank. The researcher must examples, the GM should also consider whether any of these
also pay the extra DP cost for the ritual at this pointequal to influences should be considered essential to the proper working
one half of the Power Point cost of the ritual (rounded up). In of the ritual. The influence descriptions below refer to aspects,
the example above, the ritual would cost Demetrios 19 DPs in as listed in the spell creation section in Chapter 5. This reflects
addition to the cost of the Magical Ritual skill rank. that the influences work towards easing those base aspects of a
given spell.
Characters may only know one ritual per skill rank in Magical
Ritual. To successfully perform rituals that other mages have Actions: Religious rituals may involve sprinkling holy water,
researched and fully documented, characters must still pay burning incense and praying. Sound magic might incorporate
the Development Points for one skill rank to learn the ritual, singing, music, or simply repeated sounds such as striking
but not the additional cost of 1/2 the Power Points of the
26-50
about the sigil collapsing is when the magical backlash arcs Guidelines on Rituals
through your body. Roll d100-20 on the Electrical Table
and lose half of your remaining PPs.
Ritual Magic is designed to achieve large-scale, permanent
effects, especially those that a character may not normally
Well, now you know what happens when the gestures are
have access to. Emulating instantaneous spells, cantrips, and
made in the wrong sequence. The magical energy internal-
51-75
izes itself in your body. Roll d100 on the Electrical Table
minor magics is not a worthy use of Ritual Magic. Rituals
and lose three-quarters of your remaining PPs. can combine the effects of multiple spells into a single ritual
Wrong ritual! Did you actually learn the right ritual? Roll
working. However, doing so increases the overall danger of
76-00 d100+20 on the Electrical Table as the mana flows through the ritual itself.
you and lose all your remaining PPs. Unlike casters of Spell Magic who are constrained by skill
rank and PP maxima, ritualists can create effects whose
potency exceeds their personal limitations. Consequently
Ritual Magic can be much more hazardous to its practition-
The time required to perform a ritual is 3 minutes per PP ers and they should always weigh benefits against risks before
needed in the ritual if Ambient Mana is used. proceeding with a ritual.
Participants can use their own PPs instead. In this case, In addition to its dangers, the requirement that every unique
the time needed is 10 rounds per PP required by the ritual. effect should have a unique ritual should be adhered to
All participants must contribute at least one PP to the total strictly. An item creation ritual to give a +5 bonus to OB is
PP required. different from a similar ritual to give a +5 DB bonus. GMs
Example: While out adventuring with his companions, one of should also utilize limitations on existing spells when emu-
them is seriously injured. Having nobody with healing spells lating them as rituals and require PCs to buy these off in the
with them, Demetrios decides to give his new ritual a try. secondary parameter adjustment stage. The above mentioned
Demetrios now has 31 ranks in Magical Ritual (remember, he Imbue rituals would have to be performed daily just as if the
had to buy a skill rank for this ritual) giving him a bonus of 81, character were casting the spell for creating an item. Rituals
which with +12 from stat bonuses, is 93. He is employing both almost always must enchant existing base items which in-
influences (Action: dancing around the injured comrade while creases the PP cost and makes the rituals harder. Ritualists
chanting and Herbs and Plants: a small pouch of powdered must research individual rituals for specific items (whereas
willow bark) for a +20. His total so far is 113 (93 + 20). Thaumaturges have a flexible toolkit) and GMs are encour-
However the ritual requires 38 PPs which exceeds his total aged to require expensive material Influences.
number of skill ranks by 7, so that is a -35 (7 x -5) modifier GMs may also wonder why anyone would ever use their
and Perform Magical Ritual has a base penalty of -40. His own PPs in Ritual Magic. The obvious answer is sometimes
total bonus for this ritual is 38. This means that he needs a the result of a ritual is wanted quickly. A less obvious an-
63 or better in order to successfully complete the ritual. If swer is that in some settings, traditional Spell Magic may
Demetrios uses only Ambient Mana to complete the ritual not exist, leaving Ritual Magic as the only option for mages.
will take him 114 minutes (1 hour 54 minutes) or almost 2 hours In such worlds, a forewarned mage might even attempt
to complete. However, if Demetrios uses his own PPs for the combat rituals. See Which Types of Magic, Chapter 11 for
ritual, it will take him 380 rounds (760 seconds or 12 minutes more details on this subject.
40 seconds) to complete it.
Finally GMs may consider the modifier for extra participants
Example: Uthers player does the calculations for the to be too modest. It represents a pragmatic compromise be-
difficulty of the Past Visions ritual. He has 1 influence (the tween simulating rituals in literature and myth where multiple
crystal ball) for a +10 and he has four friends helping with casters are either helpful or essential and thwarting attempts
the ritual for another +20. They have all fasted for 5 hours to abuse the rules by having every character who can spell
prior to attempting the ritual (46 PP/10 = 4.6, rounded up the word ritual pitch in to knock down the penalties. Extra
to 5 hours of fasting) for another +10. However Uthers participants will work best when they are competent in their
skill ranks are dwarfed by the PP cost of the ritual (46 7 = own right and their assistance would tip the balance of prob-
abilities in the ritualists favor.
In all its diverse forms, Rune Magic is the art of encapsulating Anyone or anything touching the rune immediately activates
mana into physical manifestations of spell sigils. The sigils the spell;
are written, painted, carved or inscribed onto the surface of Anyone looking at the rune immediately triggers it (the rune
an appropriate medium and imbued with magic. As the sigil must be covered to prevent accidental activation as soon as it
is imprinted only onto the surface, erasing or defacing the is created);
sigil pattern is sufficient to destroy a rune. Similarly as a sur-
A specific event occurs (e.g., someone unrolling a scroll with a
face magic, runes, glyphs, seals, etc., must be on a nominally
Trap Rune written on it).
visible surface, although they can be concealed within larger
patterns or covered by tapestries and the like. Rune Magic is (GMs should require PC runemasters to write down the
a single-effect magic. explicit conditions of triggers to prevent later confusion
and argument.)
Runes, Glyphs and Seals The OB for an Elemental Attack Trap Rune or Spell Circle
depends on the spells attack size:
Spell Runes
The spell sigils created through Rune Magic are normally
Table 8.2 Attack Size OB for Rune Magic
categorized by the medium upon which they have been in-
Attack Size OB
scribed. Thus Runes proper are written or painted onto
Tiny +40
papyrus, paper, parchment and so on, whereas Glyphs
are normally carved or incised on a rock, mineral, or gem, Small +60
and Seals are stamped or etched onto wax, clay or metal. Medium +80
Regardless of their medium, most Runes, Glyphs, and Seals Large +100
encountered are Spell Runes in that any person with suf- Huge +120
ficient Runes skill can read the rune, effectively casting For Trap Runes and Spell Circles with an inscribed Attack spell or
the inscribed spell using the encapsulated mana. Thus Spell Containment and Protection Circles, make an open-ended roll on the RR
Runes serve as single-use magical items for individuals with column of the maneuver table with a +50 bonus.
a modest amount of magical skill.
Professional Runes
Spell Runes can encapsulate the matrix of any Low, Middle
or High Magic cantrip or spell. A spell caster may inscribe Professional Runes are sigil patterns specifically designed
the basic form of any spell that they know using the Runes for the teaching of spell casting. The base form of the spell
skill (with a -30 modifier for the Inscribe Runes subskill). and its potential scaling options are inscribed in runic nota-
Inscribing scaled versions of spells requires the use of Rune tion. Rarely are professional runes imbued with actual mana.
Mastery (Magician and Thaumaturge Circles). Professional runes are created using the Inscribe Professional
Runes (-40) subskill of the Runes skill. It takes one minute per
Trap Runes PP of the base form plus one minute per PP in each of the scal-
A Trap Rune (or Trap Glyph or Trap Seal) is a modi- ing options to inscribe the rune.
fied Spell Rune that acts as a magical booby-trap. A person Example: The Acid Bolt spell has a base cost of 5 PP and
who activates a Trap Rune (by attempting to read it, touching two scaling options (Increase Range +1 PP per extra 50' and
it, etc.) becomes the target of the encapsulated spell effect, Increase Elemental Attack Potency +2 PP per size increase).
rather than being in control of the casting. Creating an Acid Bolt professional rune requires 8 minutes
A Trap Rune of an unscaled spell may be created using the (5 + 2 +1).
Inscribe Trap Rune (-50) subskill. Inscribing a Trap Rune
takes one minute for each Power Point required by the spell Magical Circles
and these Power Points are expended by the caster at the time Magical Circles are Rune Magic writ large. A magical circle
of inscription of the rune. If the caster has insufficient Power is a large circle drawn, painted or inscribed upon a solid sur-
Points to inscribe the rune, the maneuver will fail. The Rune face, and anointed with standard or special runes. Although
Mastery spell may be used to inscribe Trap Runes of scaled they must be primed in mana and effect by the Runemaster,
spell effects; however, an Inscribe Trap Rune maneuver must once drawn and activated a Circle utilizes the Ambient Mana
still be made. to exceed the normal parameters of spells, enabling them to
At the time of inscribing, the runemaster must decide upon affect all within a circle or all targets within a certain range
the Trap Runes activation trigger(s). For every ten ranks in of the circles perimeter. If a Circles perimeter is erased or
Runes skill, the runemaster may add one activation trigger to broken, even slightly, its powers will fail immediately. By their
a Trap Rune. very nature, Circles are immobile once created and activated.
Table 8.3 College of Magics spells suitable for use as Battle Runes
Universal Sphere Ranger Sphere Warrior Mage Sphere
Banish Fatigue ** Vision Protection ** Sharpshooter **
Detect Life**
Detect Undead **
Water Breathing **
Water Vision **
Elementalist Circle Necromancer Circle Thaumaturge Circle
Elemental Aura** Acid Ball * Arcane Ball*
Elemental Resistance** Acid Bolt* Deflect Spell**
Underwater Movement ** Inflict Injury * Spell Resistance **
Inflict Pain * Spell Shield**
Nightvision **
Wounding*
* = This is an offensive spell and can only be inscribed on weapons.
** = Will work only on the wearer of the armor or on the weapon wielder.
Heal Bruise
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Touch RR:
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip
Description: Caster is able to heal up to 5 concussion hits.
Heal Cut
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Touch RR:
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip
Description: Caster is able to heal a 1 concussion hit per
round bleeding wound. This cantrip has no effect on more
severe bleeding wounds.
Ignite
Dry Wood PP Cost: 2 Spell Type: Utility
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility Range: Self RR:
Range: Touch RR: Duration: Concentration Spheres: Cantrip
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip Description: A 1" flame springs from the casters fingertip.
Description: Caster can remove any surface liquid or mois- This can be used to set alight any flammable material.
ture from one wooden object.
Magnify
Find Page PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility Range: Self RR:
Range: Touch RR: Duration: Concentration Spheres: Cantrip
Duration: 2 rounds Spheres: Cantrip Description: Magnifies any visual image viewed by the caster
Description: If the caster touches a book or scroll and thinks by x5. Caster can only use this spell on items, surfaces, etc.,
of a specific page or section, then the book will open at/turn that are no further than 5' away from the caster.
to the right page or the scroll will unroll to the chosen area.
Caster must have read the book or scroll at least once. Measure
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Float Range: Touch RR:
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip
Range: Self RR:
Description: Caster can determine the exact dimensions
Duration: Concentration Spheres: Cantrip (i.e., length, width, height) of one item.
Description: Caster remains afloat on any normal liquid as
long as he concentrates.
Repair Crack
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Touch RR:
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip
Description: Repairs one crack in a wooden object. This
cantrip cannot mend items that are broken into two or more
pieces, nor restore any lost magical properties.
Repair Nick
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Touch RR:
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip
Description: Repairs one nick in a metal item, weapon, piece
or suit of armor, helping to keep it serviceable. This cantrip
cannot mend metal objects that are broken into two or more
pieces, nor restore any lost magical properties.
Repair Rent
PP Cost: 1 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Touch RR:
Duration: Spheres: Cantrip
Description: Repairs one rent or tear in a leather object
(which may be a piece or suit of armor). This cantrip cannot
mend leather objects that have been torn into two or more
pieces, nor restore any lost magical properties.
Predict Weather
PP Cost: 9 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Self RR:
Duration: Spheres: Ranger
Description: Caster is able to make a prediction concern-
ing the weather to occur in the casters current location. This
Flash
PP Cost: 5 Spell Type: Attack
Range: Self RR: Magic
Duration: 2 rounds/rank Spheres: Elementalist
Description: In the first round of this spell, the caster can
cause a small globe of light to appear above his head, and ex-
plode it in a dazzling flash. With the exception of the caster,
everyone who is within a 10' radius of the caster must make
Extinguish Fires an RR versus Magic or be blinded for the remaining duration
PP Cost: 5 Spell Type: Utility of this spell.
Range: 10' RR: Scaling Options:
Duration: 5 rounds/rank Spheres: Elementalist Increase Duration (to 5 rounds/rank) +4 PP
Description: All natural fires within a 10' radius of this Increase Radius (per additional 10' radius) +2 PP
spell are extinguished immediately. No existing fire can be
restarted nor a new blaze lit by mundane means for the dura- Heat
tion of this spell in the extinguished zone. The center point of PP Cost: 4 Spell Type: Attack
the radius must be in the spells range. Range: 10' RR: Magic
Note: The range must be 50' before an additional 50' can Duration: 10 rounds/rank (C) Spheres: Elementalist
be used. Description: Caster may raise the temperature of 1 lb. of any
Scaling Options: inanimate material (solid, liquid, or gas) at a rate of 10 de-
grees Fahrenheit per round up to a maximum temperature of
Increase Range (from 10' to 50') +2 PP 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The caster must concentrate in order
Increase Range (per additional 50') +1 PP to raise the temperature, otherwise it will remain constant.
Increase Radius (per additional 10' radius) +1 PP Dependent on material, this spell may cause it to change state
Increase Duration (to 10 rounds/rank) +4 PP or even burst into flames. If the material is part of an object
Increase Duration (to 1 minute/rank) +5 PP worn or carried by a person or is magical, then the owner (or
Increase Duration (to 10 minutes/rank) +6 PP material) itself may make a RR versus Magic to prevent this
Extinguish Magical Fires +5 PP spell taking effect. Persisting in carrying or wearing a very
hot item may result in Tiny Heat criticals (GM discretion on
severity). Once the spell finishes, the material will cool nor-
mally to the ambient temperature.
Tremors
PP Cost: 5 Spell Type: Utility
Range: 50' RR:
Duration: 2 rounds/rank Spheres: Elementalist
Description: Causes the ground to shake in a 10 radius
within the range of the spell. Anyone standing there must
succeed on a Light Agility based roll or Acrobatics/Tumbling
maneuver or take a Tiny Unbalancing (Martial Arts Sweeps/
Unbalancing) Critical. Scaling Options:
Scaling Options: Increased Range (per additional 50') +1 PP
Increased Length (per extra 1' length) +1 PP
Increased Range (per additional 50') +1 PP
Increased Width (per extra 1' width) +1 PP
Increased Radius (per additional 10'R) +1 PP
Increased Depth (per extra 1' depth) +1 PP
Increased Difficulty (per maneuver difficulty
level increase) +2 PP Shape Trench +4 PP
Increase Critical (per degree of severity) +4 PP Refill Trench +4 PP
The Black Death: The target becomes infected with the bu- Inflict Injury
bonic plague. The exact effect is determined by a Cascading PP Cost: 4 Spell Type: Attack
Resistance Roll with the potency determined by how well this
Range: 100' RR: Magic
spell was cast.
Duration: Spheres: Necromancer
CRR (RR+50): No Effect
Description: Caster causes a wound to mysteriously appear
CRR (RR): After one day, the target breaks out in a rash on the targets body. Caster can choose to deliver a Tiny Slash,
and experiences mild glandular swellings and a fever (-20 to Crush, or Puncture critical (roll 1d100-20).
all actions).
Scaling Options:
CRR (RR-25): As CRR (RR), but the inflammations and swell- Increase Potency (per each attack size increase) +4 PP
ings in the glands are more severe, particularly in armpits and Increase Range (per +50') +1 PP
groin. Penalty to all actions is -30. 10% chance per day that a
Increase Targets (per extra target) +4 PP
limb will become immobilized.
CRR (RR-50): As CRR (RR-25), except lesions will ooze pus Inflict Pain
while blood will leak through pores (d10 hits per day). Victim PP Cost: 4 Spell Type: Attack
will be unable to move. Range: 100' RR: Stamina
Failure: As CRR (RR-50) except that the target will slip into Duration: Spheres: Necromancer
a coma in d10 days. Each day that the target is in the coma, Description: Target feels a sharp jolt of intense pain. If the
an additional RR versus Stamina must be made. If this RR is RR is failed, the target takes 10 hits worth of damage.
failed, the character dies that day.
Scaling Options:
This spell has two special Scaling Options, namely Carrier
Increase Pain (per extra 10 hits) +4 PP
and Contagious.
Increase Range (per +50') +1 PP
Increase Targets (per extra target) +4 PP
Conjure Animal
PP Cost: 9 Spell Type: Utility
Range: 100' RR:
Duration: 2 rounds/rank Spheres: Thaumaturge
Description: By a supreme exertion of will, the caster can
create a facsimile of a Tiny non-magical animal from the
surrounding mana, which can appear at any point within
the spells range. The caster may only conjure animals that
Imbue Exotic
PP Cost: 9 Spell Type: Utility
Range: Touch RR:
Duration: 1 day Spheres: Thaumaturge
Scaling Options:
Increase Animal Size (per increase) +4 PP
Increase Targets (per extra target) +4 PP
Contain Animal +3 PP
Exotic Items
Exotic Items can come in any form, although weapons,
shields, and armor are the most common. These devices grant
their wielders special abilities, such as racial talents, that can-
not be (easily) duplicated using other spells. More martial
capabilities such as unencumbering items, fumble reduction,
Holy and Slaying weapons are also possible. These powers are
almost always combined with other magical enhancements.
Exotic Items can be created using the permanent enchant-
ment rules described in Permanent Item Enchantment,
page 108.
Intelligent Items
Intelligent Items are not a distinct group of magical items.
Instead they are potent and permanent magical items in their
own right, which have been further enhanced by the granting
of some measure of sentience. This intelligence is the result of
the binding of a Spirit, Demon, or other being to the object,
using the secret binding spells and rituals.
Item Creation Examples officials are investigating to see what charges and fines
youre facing. No Power Points for you this week (or
Gregor is a 7th level Thaumaturge. He is a Human, and has cookies). If you are a member of a Mages guild, you are
maxed out his skill bonuses for all the Imbue spells, rel- facing a reprimand and additional fines.
evant crafting skills, Power Point Development and Power Youve destroyed the item and lost all your Power Points
Projection. He has a +5 bonus in all relevant stats and no 51 75
for 2 weeks. Roll one Large Heat Critical on yourself.
other bonuses. His skill bonus totals for all the skills and Your workshop is in cinders and there is a warrant out
spells is an 84 (74 from skill ranks + 10 from stats). He has 104 for your arrest. There are laws about this kind of thing.
Power Points at his disposal. These are the bonuses used in It just keeps getting better. Congratulations on the
each of the following item creation examples. Gregor is being cursed item youve just created. The GM gets to choose
the curse. There is just one little problemyou dont
played by Bruce. 76 100
know that youve cursed the item. The curse wont be
apparent until the item is used. This might give you
+5 Long Sword enough time to leave townbut then again maybe not.
Gregor is crafting this long sword as he enchants it. Since the
Imbue Bonus spell requires 8 PP for this level of enchantment,
using them on the previous roll, and begins rolling for Gregor
this means that Gregor must cast the spell a total of 20 times.
to cast the spell. Bruce gets his wish and successfully casts
This is the base of the 4 days required for making the item,
the scaled up Imbue Bonus spell three times before deciding
plus 2 days for each Power Point required. This also means
that Gregor has had enough for the day. This gives another 9
that it will take Gregor a minimum of 8 days to enchant the
imprints, for a total of 12 successful imprints on the sword.
sword he is making, and could take up to 20 days or longer!
Only 8 to go. Additionally, Bruce also rolls for Gregors craft-
Gregor decides that since this is a simple item, he is going to ing skill for making the sword. Bruce gets a 17, for a total of
reduce the amount of time it could take to make the item by 101. A success, barely. With a chuckle the GM tells Bruce that
scaling the spell up and doing multiple imprints with each it is one ugly sword!
casting as well as multiple castings each day. Since it will
Day 3: Early in the morning, before Gregor can really get to
take a minimum of 8 days to create the magic item, Gregor
work, his pals come around and ask if he can join them the
wants to get the majority of the imprints out of the way in the
next day to support their efforts in protecting a visiting dig-
beginning.
nitary to the city. They feel his magical expertise might prove
He decides that doing 3 imprints per spell will be enough useful against potential sorcerous threats. This should only
to start with. The scaling option, Increase Imprints, costs take a day of Gregors time but it does mean that he wont be
an additional 2 PP per imprint, so 2 additional imprints per able to work on the longsword tomorrow. Gregor agrees, and
imbue will cost an additional 4 PP, giving a modifier of -20 then decides to get busy on the sword. Gregor will be away
to Gregors casting rolls, leaving him with an adjusted bonus from his workshop for a full day at least and he has no de-
of 64. Since the Imbue Bonus spell is a Utility spell, Gregor sire to lose all the effort already invested in the sword. Gregor
only needs a total of 71 or higher to succeed. This means that changes the scaling options he is using today. Instead of in-
Bruce will need to roll a 7 or higher to succeed in each casting. cluding extra imprints, Gregor is going to use the scaling op-
tion, Increase Duration, so that he can go assist his friends.
Day 1: Just starting the item, Gregor is both forging the item
By increasing the duration of the spell, that gives Gregor
and enchanting it at the same time. Bruce makes the first roll
extra time before the next imprint must be cast. Once he re-
for Gregor. He gets a 35 for a total of 99, more than enough to
turns from the mission, Gregor will still have a minimum of
succeed. Gregor now has 3 of the required 20 imprints com-
5 more days to work on the sword before it will be finished.
pleted. Bruce rolls for the second casting of the Imbue Bonus
Gregor decides, knowing his friends well and the chance of
spell. Unfortunately, he rolls a 6. While this is not a fumble, it
complications, to give himself 2 extra days rather than just
is not enough for a successful casting. Gregor reels from the
the one day off. This will cost an additional 10 PP next to the
failed spell and cannot work on this item any more for the day.
base cost, and give a modifier of -50 to Bruces casting roll for
Day 2: Having rested, Gregor sets out to work on the item a modified bonus of 34. Talking softly to his dice to encour-
again. Bruce grabs his lucky dice, cursing himself for not age them to roll high, Bruce makes his throw. He gets a 97,
Cursed Items
Cursed magical items are normally the result of the en-
chanters failure to complete the sealing of the imbedding
matrix. The existence of a curse can be safely detected
using the scaled version of the Analysis spell (Thaumaturge
Circle). As touching some items is equivalent to activating
the item (and hence triggering the curse), the unfortunate
creator will have to use tongs and heavy gloves in order to
move the device safely. Many creators immediately destroy
cursed items; some fiendish enchanters place them in their
less well-guarded treasure hoards as magical booby-traps
for greedy thieves.
The other way to discover a curse is by using the
item for Bonus, Constant or At Will items
merely holding or wearing them will usually be
sufficient. Once the curse has been activated, its
unlucky owner will be unable to rid himself of
the item, either by selling it, giving it away, or
deliberately losing or breaking it. In some set-
tings, this can be purely a mental effect. In others,
it will be more fey, e.g., a knight throws a cursed
sword into the sea and rides off, but on waking the
next day finds it lying beside him (perhaps the item
has used an unwanted Return by Flight or Return by
Teleport ability.)
For the character afflicted by a cursed item, there are several
solutions. Firstly, someone can steal the object and even in
GMs Tip:
prestigious than a lords other vassals. Independent lords may The Price of Magic
also be able to protect their trusted mages from the persecu-
tion of priests and witch-hunters. The influence of Royal Magic Adventurers may need to hire spell users to cast specific
is mostly limited to the upper classes and their fortunate re- spells on their behalf. The average price of a base
tainers with few of its benefits received by the common folk. (unscaled) spell will be 1 gp per PP. For spells requiring
scaling, casters may charge up to 5 gp per PP of scaling
Religious Magic is practiced usually by Clerics, although (in addition to the base spell cost). Casters may charge
members of other professions may be organized into affili- more for deadly spells or for using their magic to commit
ated religious orders. Religious Magic is used to further the a crime.
aims of the deity and the religion and for the benefit of the
faithful. It may or may not be reserved for those whom the GMs Tip:
priests deem true believers. However, the impact of Religious Magic and Countermagic
Magic is normally felt across all sections of society, particu-
larly in the field of medicine. There are no killer spells in HARP. For every magical
effect, there is an appropriate countermagic. In
Guild Magic is organized magic. Spell users of one or more pro- many cases, there will be a specific spell and in others
fessions form associations for mutual assistance. In addition to Counterspell will be a sufficient deterrent. GMs should
teaching the next generation of practitioners, guild members use appropriate countermeasures according to the
may provide magical services and items for purchase. A Guild needs and the resources of the NPC individual or group.
may provide a diverse range of services or specialize. As the Important personages will have magical defenses,
Guild accumulates more wealth, it may even obtain monopo- council chambers will be warded against scrying,
lies on the practice of magic within a certain area, forcing all strongholds will be shielded against physical intrusion,
spell users in a town or city to join the Guild or abstain from and so on. Perfect security is impossible, but precautions
commercial uses of magic. As anyone with sufficient money will be taken where merited for people and places.
can hire a Guild Mage, Guild Magic is the most likely to have a
significant impact upon society in multiple areas.
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art and craft of Magic. If College of Magics also
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aptitude for Magic, then and designing new spells;
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Novices are welcome. primer on temporary and
College of Magics expands permanent magic item
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topics that the book covers Magician, the Elementalist,
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